Spinning of artificial filaments



Patented Dec. 12-, 1933 1,938,623 SPINNING F ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS Camille Dreyfus, New York, N. Y., and Williarn Whitehead,

Cumberland, Md.,

assig'nors to Celanese Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application November 20, 1929 Serial N0. 408,667

14 Claims.. (Cl. 18-54) This invention relates tothe'making of filaments such a yaens, bristles, artificial straw and the containing organic derivatives of cellulose and which have'improved properties.

5, "An object of our invention is to produce yarns, ffilaments and the like containing organic derivatives of cellulose which may be readily delustei'ed. A further object is to prepare yarns containing filaments of very fine denier. An-

- other object of our invention is to prepare yarns and fabrics containing organic derivatives of cellulosewhich havea relatively low scorching point and a relatively high melting point, whereby when the material is ironed at high temperature, it scorches before it melts.

It is very desirable formany purposes to produce yarns of organic derivatives of cellulose that m aiybe readily delustered. Also it is des mple "to prepare yarns which contain filaments 20 fof fvry low denier. Moreover since textile mat'efials containing organic derivatives of cellulose tend to melt and stick to the iron when ironed with an iron that is at too high a temperature it is advantageous that a warning, such as scorching, be given the operator of the danger of the high temperatures. We have found that these results may be obtained by employing as a spinning dope from which filaments or yarns are formed, a solution of a derivative of cellulose that contains a soap or a compound of a fatty acid.

In accordance with our invention we prepare filaments containing organic derivatives of celb lulos'e by extruding a solution of the same in a suitable solvent and which solution containsla "soap or a salt of a higher fatty acid through orifices of suitable size and shape into an evapoi'ative atmosphere as in dry spinning, or into a precipitating bath as in wet spinning.

Filaments of any desired size or shape may be made in accordance with this invention. While we prefer to make fine filaments which are associated together to form yarn, heavier filaments to be employed as artificial bristlesor horse hair or as artificial straw may be made. Any suitable organic derivatives of cellulose such as organic esters of cellulose or cellulose ethers may be employed. Examples of organic esters of cellulose are cellulose acetate,.cellulose formate, 5o cellulose propionate and cellulose butyrate while examples of cellulose ethers are ethylcellulose,

methyl cellulose and benzyl cellulose.

The solution is formed by dissolving the organic derivatives of cellulose in a suitable solvent or solventmixture, For dry spinnin V01- atile solvents are employed examples of which are acetone, methyl acetate, mixtures of acetoneand methyl or ethyl alcohol, mixtures of methylene chloride and ethyl or methyl alcohol and mixtures of ethylene dichloride and ethyl or methyl alcohol. For wet spinning either a volatile solvent or' a nonvolatile solvent maybe employed. r 7

As stated the solution of the derivative of cellulose contains .soap or salt of a higher fatty acid. Examples of these are potassium ricinoleate, potassium stearate, potassium oleate, 'sodium ricinoleate, sodium stearate, sodium oleate or salts of triethanol amine and fatty acids such as triethanol amine stearate, or triethanol amine oleate. While the amounts of the soap employed may vary greatly, we havegenerally found that amounts equal" to 1.5 to 10% of the weight of the organic derivative of cellulose present in the solution produces very satisfactory results.

If the dry spinning method is employed; the solution or spinning dope'is extruded through orifices into "heated air, nitrogen, carbon idioxide many other suitable gas. For wet spinning the dope is extruded into a bath that causesthe precipitation of the derivative of cellulose'from such solution. In the latter, case,

where the spinning dope comprises'solutions of cellulose acetate in acetone, an essential constituent of the precipitating bathis water. V 1

The filaments or yarns formed in accordance with our invention or fabrics made from such yarn are either of subdued lustre or may be readily delustered by the action of water or other aqueous baths, such as are employed in scouring and dyeing at comparatively low temperatures. Moreover if a delustered fabric constructed of yarn made in accordance with this invention becomes relustered when ironed while damp, the relustering, effect that is producedin spots or on the whole fabricmay be destroyed by treating the fabric in warm water, whereupon the fabric becomes uniformly delustered, a result not attained heretofore. The behavior of the yarn made in accordance with this in- 0 vention with respect to deluist'eringis of particular importance in the making of hosiery or other knit fabric where ,a subdued lustre is r o Yarn made in accordance withthis invention 9 is pliable and therefore may be knitted into a more closely knitted fabric containing more stitches per unit length than is possibl'e'with yarn made from solutions not containing the soaps.

Yarn made in accordance with this invention or fabric containing such yarn scorches at temperatures lower than yarn not containing the soaps. Furthermore such fabric has a higher 5 melting point thanprior fabric, and'has a safe ironing point of 20 C. or more higher than fabric made of yarn not containing the soaps.

Another advantage of this invention is the "ceiving a low lustre comprising extruding a solufact that when certain soaps such as potassium ricinoleate are employed, filaments 'of "or more finer size or denier may be produced.

In order to further illustrate our invention but without being limited thereto, the following specific examples are given.

Example 1 Parts 'by weight. Celluloseacetate Acetone 73 Potassium ricinoleate 2 The charge is mixed to a homogeneous clear .:solution, ,filtered .and thenextruded through orifices into an evaporative atmosphere. The fila- .ments thus :formed are associated together by twisting .to'form yarn and are wound up on a suitable package.

Filaments of much .finer denier than heretofore possible may be made. The yarn so formed has the following new. and useful properties. Although lustrous when formed, it becomes deluster-ed when submerged even in cold water for .a period of time such as 24 hours. It delusters R813? rapidly when treated in dye or scouring baths at the temperatures ordinarily employed such as '65" C. The fabric'containing the yarn so delustered, when ironed damp at elevated temperatures relusters much as has heretofore been the case with prior fabrics made of cellu lose acetate. Howevenin the case of yarnsmade in the-manner herein described, such relustered fabrics become delustered again by simply immersing in warm water. Of course the higher the temperature of the water, the more speedily the relustered fabric becomes delustered. Thus, for example, 15 minute treatment is ample in the case when water of C. is employed, but when water at'ordinary temperaturesis used several hours treatment is necessary. Fabrics made in accordance with this example which have become relustered in patches by damp ironing, when treated as described, deluster again in the relustered patches and the fabrics show no unevenness of, appearance after drying out and ironing while the fabrics are substantially dry.

Example II tion containing an organic derivative of cellulose and a water-soluble salt of a higher fatty acid which is soluble in the organic derivative of cellulose solvent through orifices into a setting fluid which does not alter the solubility of the salt, so that on solidification of the filaments at least some or" the water-soluble salt is retained-as such in the filaments.

2. Method of making filaments capable of retion containing cellulose acetate and a watersoluble salt of a higher fatty acid which is soluble in the cellulose acetate solvent through orifices into a setting fluid which does not alter the solubility of the salt, so that on solidification of the filaments at least some of the watersoluble salt is-retained as such in the filaments.

3.-Method of making filaments capable of receiving a low lustre comprising extruding a solution containing an organic derivative of cellulose and a water-soluble saltof a higher fatty acid which is soluble in the organic derivative of cellulose solvent through orifices into a drying evaporative atmosphere so that on solidification of the filaments at least some of the water-soluble i salt is retained as such in the filaments.

4. Method of making filaments capable of ,receiving a low lustre comprising extruding a solution containing cellulose acetate and a watersoluble salt of a higher fatty acid which is soluhis in the cellulose acetate solvent through orifices into a drying evaporative atmosphere so that on solidification of the filaments at least some of the water-soluble salt is retained as'such in the filaments.

5. Method of making filaments capable of receiving a low lustre comprising extruding a solution containing cellulose acetate and an alkali metal ricinoleate through orifices into a drying evaporative atmosphere so that on solidification of the filaments at least some of the alkali metal ricinoleate is retained as such in the filaments.

6. Method of making filaments capable of receiving a low lustre comprising extruding a solution containing cellulose acetate and potassium rici-noleate through orifices into a drying evaporative atmosphere so that on solidification of the filaments at least some of the potassium ricinoleate is retained as such in the filaments.

'7. Method of making filaments capable of receiving a low lustre comprising extruding a solution containing cellulose acetate and a salt of triethanolamine with a fatty acid which is soluble in the cellulose acetate solvent through orifices into a drying evaporative atmosphere so that on solidification of the filaments at least some of the salt is retained as such in the filaments.

8. Method of making filaments capable of receiving a low lustre comprising extruding a solution containing cellulose acetate and the trioleate of triethanol amine through orifices into a drying evaporative atmosphere so that on solidification of the filaments at least some of the trioleate of triethanol amine is retained as such in the filaments.

9. Filaments or yarns capable of receiving a low lustre, said filaments containing an organic derivative of-cellulose and a water-soluble salt of a higher fatty acid.

10. Filaments, or yarns capable of receiving a low lustre, said filaments containing cellulose acetate and a water-soluble salt of a higher fatty acid.

l1. Filaments or yarns capable of receiving 1 a low lustre, said filaments containing cellulose acetate and an alkali metal ricinoleate.

12. Filaments or yams capable of receiving a low lustre, said filaments containing cellulose acetate and potassium ricinoleate.

13. Filaments or yarns capable of receiving a w lustre, said filaments containing cellulose 

